


Coffee Break

by TLvop



Category: Gunnerkrigg Court
Genre: First Job, Friendship/Love, Gen, I Don't Even Know, Robots, not a coffeeshop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 09:04:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2845514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TLvop/pseuds/TLvop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a barista is very important. Shadow's been practicing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee Break

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cest_what](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cest_what/gifts), [Clone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clone/gifts).



> Thanks to Healy for advice on dialogue styles! Any remaining errors are all my own.
> 
> This is really dorky -- I hope you both enjoy it, and have a lovely yuletide! :)
> 
> The definition of coffee is from Merriam-Webster's dictionary.

Shadow had been quiet since he'd gotten out of _Modern English Culture: Norms and Traditions_ , which worried Robot. Shadow was very cheerful, usually, but only two weeks ago he had been very distressed about the topic of internet message boards. _Kat_ used message boards, and Kat was not mean, Kat was good. _Very good_.

Robot had agreed, and did not interfere with the teaching of the class because that was acting beyond his capacity, and because he knew that persecution was merely a way for the world to confirm the rightness of a thing.

"What is wrong, Shadow?" Robot asked.

Shadow deflated, then suddenly grew taller as he prepared to say something. Robot stopped to listen. "We should have coffee. It's an important part of community."

_Coffee, n.: a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant._

Robot considered these two pieces of information against each other. "Why is it an important part of community?"

"People get to talk," Shadow told him, suddenly eager. "It's a important job, making coffee. _Double shot soy latte, no whip, two pumps caramel_ , coming up!” He barked before adding, proud: “That's my barista voice.”

"It's a very good barista voice," said Robot, somewhat stunned. "Why is there no coffee in Gunnerkrigg if it is so important?"

Shadow shrugged. "But," he said, "it's our job. If we want coffee, we have to make coffee! Or," he added, suddenly shy, "I have to make coffee. You don't."

Robot felt his feelings grow warm. "Oh, Shadow, I will help you make coffee."

Shadow flung a pair of hoodie covered arms around him, and Robot hugged back.

\--

"Well," Kat said, pulling up her goggles to look at them. "I guess if you're _sure_ , I can help."

"Yes please, Miss Kat," Shadow said, solemn. "I should make money and give my money to help people."

"Who do you want to help?" Kat asked, leaning against him on the work table. Robot watched, curious, as he had not yet heard of anything about helping.

"I want to make a fund for – for learning job skills," Shadow said, only sounding certain as he finished. "Miss Jones said she would help me. It could help students like me."

"There aren't any students like you," said Robot, sincere, and Shadow ducked behind Kat.

"Aww," Kat said. "That's a good idea. Can Jones help you get permission?"

"I'll ask her," Robot said.

"I'll make a coffee machine. Shadow, do you want to help?"

Shadow beamed. " _Yes_ ,” he chirped. “Thank you."

\--

It took nearly a week to put the shop together where Jones had found them space and permission. The theatre club came out to help with construction, in exchange for the first 150 pounds the coffee shop raised being donated to their upcoming production.

“That is a lot of money,” Robot said, not very approving. People should volunteer to help, for a good cause. **  
**

“Yes,” Annie agreed, “but they need our money, and we need their help.” She was drinking a practice coffee Shadow had made her, though her sips were very delicate and Robot could not tell if she liked it. “This is very good,” she added, before throwing it out, and Robot was pleased to hear it. She must not have been very thirsty.

Shadow beamed from where he was working on the coffee machine he and Kat had made. It had Joe’s! written on it, because Shadow had decided that if coffee was called Joe that that was a good name for the shop. 

“Hey, Joe,” Kat said, elbowing shadow lightly in his side. “A real business owner, huh?” 

Shadow’s shoulders hunched up, face disappearing further into his hoodie. “Everybody is helping,” he said, but he was smiling even more.

\-- 

The first weekend, very few people came to Shadow’s shop. Jones sat in the corner, and a couple of the theatre kids had coffee, and Kat and Annie and Miss Paz of course, but no one else.

So Paz asked Bobby to come down, and he listened to Shadow talk about what made coffee important. 

Two days later, they had a stack of thirty posters, which had a picture of one of the chipped mugs of coffee they’d borrowed from Kat’s parents topped high with whipped cream, and informational data laid over the top.

> Joe’s! 
> 
> “Joe” is a synonym for coffee, making the title of this coffee shop a pun, or play on words. They sell many different types of coffee, as a very small difference in quantity constitutes a new form of coffee.
> 
> In the top right corner of this poster is a map representation of their location. 
> 
> Coffee has been drunk for years by humans. It is has some marginal health benefits, primarily due to containing an ingredient known as caffeine. It is not healthy for other mammals to consume.
> 
> According to the owner, who has decided to go by Joe in his professional role, coffee provides people a chance to take a break and converse with those they do not regularly have a chance to socialize with. 
> 
> All funds, after the first 150 pounds which are promised to the Gunnerkrigg theatre club, go to a fund run by Miss Jones for job training for qualifying students.
> 
> The hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1400-1700. It is advised those sensitive to caffeine do not drink it after 1500, so be sure to arrive early.
> 
> I do not drink coffee, because I am a robot. But if I could drink coffee, I would drink it at Joe’s. There is nowhere else to buy coffee in Gunnerkrigg Court. **  
> **

\-- **  
**

“ _Large cappuccino with whip and chocolate shavings_ , coming up!” Shadow shouted, pleased, and Robot beamed back as he took it.

“Thank you,” he said, looking down at it, and feeling the warmth radiating. “It is very beautiful.” **  
**

“Doing my job, sir,” Shadow said, solemn-delighted. **  
**

Robot turned on the spot, and went to sit with Kat as she worked on homework. “This is for you,” he said, pushing it over.

“Oh, gee -- thanks, Robot,” Kat said, picking it up. “You know, I think Shadow had the right idea. This is so much better than trying to study in my room.” 

Robot looked around the room, which was half-full with students, and back to Shadow as he flit from drink to drink, and Jones as she took the money and gave change.

“Yes,” Robot said. “I like coffee, too.” **  
**


End file.
